HD1000 vs. HDR-TG1 at DVinfo.net

Kevin Walsh · May 30th, 2008, 04:18 PM

I'm looking at getting one of these two cameras. Has anyone who owns a HD1000 had a chance to compare it to the Sony HDR-TG1? I love the size of the TG1, but it is a new camera and I am a little tired of being a beta tester for Sony.

Wacharapong Chiowanich · May 30th, 2008, 09:50 PM

From what I've read on a number of online reviews, the Sony TG-1 may be superior, albeit a more expensive choice (camera, memory card etc.)

I have the Sanyo and after extensive field use, I've been absolutely convinced it has a few glaring weeknesses:

1. Image stabilization is wholely ineffective even at the wide end of the zoom which is not nearly wide. In full zoom, it is merely useless forcing you to use a tripod or at least a monopod. Quite often I have had to put the camera on my Steadycam Merlin to steady the footage. This is sort of silly as it defeats the main purpose of having a pocketable camera.

2. Auto focus is weak even in good light. In poor light it's worse. It often goes hunting as I pan across a scene or just when the main subject moves. You will need to learn how to use the focus lock function and use it frequently. Or you have to resort to manual focus, with a tiny toggle knob in place of a ring, again defeating the purpose of having a camera like this.

3. The LCD screen doesn't show the level of exposure you have set whether you are in manual, shutter priority, aperture (iris)priority or full program. The camera is obviously designed for newbies or casual users who could care less about manual control. In field use, I have had to go into one of the non-manual modes first, check the readings and then switch to manual to make sure I had gotten the exposure right. Very cumbersome and frustrating.

Other than that it is OK in my view. Also the camera records the footage in a format unique to what other brands, including the Sony TG-1, use. This ensures incompatability with most video editing software on both Mac and PC though this is another weakness I can live with.

The camera has it's strengths. The lens is sharp though not wide enough. When put on a proper support, the footage in good to moderate light always came out sharp with excellent color and detail (for a rather low bit rate of 13mbps). The battery lasted a long time. You can also archive your footge on any hard disk and view it later on your TV screens without hooking up to a computer.

There may be some more points but that's about it that I can think of.

Hope this helps.

Wacharapong

Olas Polare · June 5th, 2008, 12:02 AM

hey Wacharapong you know that if you push the photo button halfway, it will show you what the manual exposure will look like?

Kevin Walsh · June 5th, 2008, 12:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wacharapong Chiowanich

From what I've read on a number of online reviews, the Sony TG-1 may be superior, albeit a more expensive choice (camera, memory card etc.)

I have the Sanyo and after extensive field use, I've been absolutely convinced it has a few glaring weeknesses:

1. Image stabilization is wholely ineffective even at the wide end of the zoom which is not nearly wide. In full zoom, it is merely useless forcing you to use a tripod or at least a monopod. Quite often I have had to put the camera on my Steadycam Merlin to steady the footage. This is sort of silly as it defeats the main purpose of having a pocketable camera.

2. Auto focus is weak even in good light. In poor light it's worse. It often goes hunting as I pan across a scene or just when the main subject moves. You will need to learn how to use the focus lock function and use it frequently. Or you have to resort to manual focus, with a tiny toggle knob in place of a ring, again defeating the purpose of having a camera like this.

3. The LCD screen doesn't show the level of exposure you have set whether you are in manual, shutter priority, aperture (iris)priority or full program. The camera is obviously designed for newbies or casual users who could care less about manual control. In field use, I have had to go into one of the non-manual modes first, check the readings and then switch to manual to make sure I had gotten the exposure right. Very cumbersome and frustrating.

Other than that it is OK in my view. Also the camera records the footage in a format unique to what other brands, including the Sony TG-1, use. This ensures incompatability with most video editing software on both Mac and PC though this is another weakness I can live with.

The camera has it's strengths. The lens is sharp though not wide enough. When put on a proper support, the footage in good to moderate light always came out sharp with excellent color and detail (for a rather low bit rate of 13mbps). The battery lasted a long time. You can also archive your footge on any hard disk and view it later on your TV screens without hooking up to a computer.

There may be some more points but that's about it that I can think of.

Hope this helps.

Wacharapong

Thanks Wacharapong, I may rethink this a bit. Maybe I'll check out the Sony CX7 or the Canon VIXIA HF10.

Wacharapong Chiowanich · June 5th, 2008, 08:21 PM

Thanks, Olas. In my struggle to get good video footage, somehow I missed that still camera function! However, shooting in manual is still a cumbersome process on this camera. First you select the manual exposure mode, then you VIEW (not meter) the scene and gauge the degree of under or over exposure of that scene, which then has become static!, by pressing the shutter button halfway, then activate the manual control (by means of a preprogramed shortcut on the toggle knob, for instance) and then toggle the knob to adjust the exposure by reducing or increasing the shutter speed and/or aperture.

This process or my previous one no doubt is needed because of the lack of live viewing function on the HD1000. I don't understand how hard it could have been for Sanyo to have made this aspect of camera handling the same as that on the other consumer cams of the competitors.

Just a simple auto exposure lock when in the video mode would have solved the problem.

Wacharapong

Pierre Barberis · June 6th, 2008, 10:03 AM

I have used a Sanyo HD1000 for a few days and i now own a TG1 ( TG3 in fact , European model) since two weeks.

My comments are : Sanyo is too bulky, slightly better in Pics (not movies), produces easier to edit .mp4, where Sony is neater, fairly good overall with unbelievable mini-flaws ( see that other post i am preparing) and is indeed much easier to carry around "innocently".

May 30th, 2008, 04:18 PM	#1
Kevin Walsh Major Player Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Phoenixville, PA Posts: 225	HD1000 vs. HDR-TG1 I'm looking at getting one of these two cameras. Has anyone who owns a HD1000 had a chance to compare it to the Sony HDR-TG1? I love the size of the TG1, but it is a new camera and I am a little tired of being a beta tester for Sony.

June 5th, 2008, 08:21 PM	#5
Wacharapong Chiowanich Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 400	Exposure Viewing Thanks, Olas. In my struggle to get good video footage, somehow I missed that still camera function! However, shooting in manual is still a cumbersome process on this camera. First you select the manual exposure mode, then you VIEW (not meter) the scene and gauge the degree of under or over exposure of that scene, which then has become static!, by pressing the shutter button halfway, then activate the manual control (by means of a preprogramed shortcut on the toggle knob, for instance) and then toggle the knob to adjust the exposure by reducing or increasing the shutter speed and/or aperture. This process or my previous one no doubt is needed because of the lack of live viewing function on the HD1000. I don't understand how hard it could have been for Sanyo to have made this aspect of camera handling the same as that on the other consumer cams of the competitors. Just a simple auto exposure lock when in the video mode would have solved the problem. Wacharapong

May 30th, 2008, 09:50 PM	#2
Wacharapong Chiowanich Major Player Join Date: May 2008 Location: Bangkok, Thailand Posts: 400	From what I've read on a number of online reviews, the Sony TG-1 may be superior, albeit a more expensive choice (camera, memory card etc.) I have the Sanyo and after extensive field use, I've been absolutely convinced it has a few glaring weeknesses: 1. Image stabilization is wholely ineffective even at the wide end of the zoom which is not nearly wide. In full zoom, it is merely useless forcing you to use a tripod or at least a monopod. Quite often I have had to put the camera on my Steadycam Merlin to steady the footage. This is sort of silly as it defeats the main purpose of having a pocketable camera. 2. Auto focus is weak even in good light. In poor light it's worse. It often goes hunting as I pan across a scene or just when the main subject moves. You will need to learn how to use the focus lock function and use it frequently. Or you have to resort to manual focus, with a tiny toggle knob in place of a ring, again defeating the purpose of having a camera like this. 3. The LCD screen doesn't show the level of exposure you have set whether you are in manual, shutter priority, aperture (iris)priority or full program. The camera is obviously designed for newbies or casual users who could care less about manual control. In field use, I have had to go into one of the non-manual modes first, check the readings and then switch to manual to make sure I had gotten the exposure right. Very cumbersome and frustrating. Other than that it is OK in my view. Also the camera records the footage in a format unique to what other brands, including the Sony TG-1, use. This ensures incompatability with most video editing software on both Mac and PC though this is another weakness I can live with. The camera has it's strengths. The lens is sharp though not wide enough. When put on a proper support, the footage in good to moderate light always came out sharp with excellent color and detail (for a rather low bit rate of 13mbps). The battery lasted a long time. You can also archive your footge on any hard disk and view it later on your TV screens without hooking up to a computer. There may be some more points but that's about it that I can think of. Hope this helps. Wacharapong

June 5th, 2008, 12:02 AM	#3
Olas Polare New Boot Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: London, UK Posts: 22	hey Wacharapong you know that if you push the photo button halfway, it will show you what the manual exposure will look like?

June 6th, 2008, 10:03 AM	#6
Pierre Barberis Regular Crew Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MANILA Philippines Posts: 117	I have used a Sanyo HD1000 for a few days and i now own a TG1 ( TG3 in fact , European model) since two weeks. My comments are : Sanyo is too bulky, slightly better in Pics (not movies), produces easier to edit .mp4, where Sony is neater, fairly good overall with unbelievable mini-flaws ( see that other post i am preparing) and is indeed much easier to carry around "innocently".